Syria crisis response update (Issue 71), 18 February – 3 March 2014

A reported but unconfirmed 14 Palestine Refugees (PR) were killed in the last 2 weeks as a result of the conflict. UNRWA estimates over 50% of registered PR are displaced in Syria or in neighbouring countries.

Approximately 270,000 PR are displaced in Syria: over 200,000 in Damascus, around 6,600 in Aleppo, 4,500 in Latakia, 3,050 in Hama, 6,450 in Homs and 13,100 in Dera’a. 11,438 PR from Syria (PRS) have registered with UNRWA in Jordan and 52,788 in Lebanon. Reports of 6,000 PRS in Egypt, 1,100 in Libya, 1,000 in Gaza and numbers in Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

So far in the conflict 12 staff members have been killed, 25 are currently detained or reported missing and 24 have been injured. 22 UNRWA vehicles have been stolen and not accounted for. In the period two staff members were killed. A school principle and their family were reportedly killed in Damascus by an armed group in their house and a nurse was killed in Mzerieb. A staff member was detained at a checkpoint in Dera’a and two in Damascus, a distribution supervisor and sanitation labourer. Another staff member was detained temporarily and then released.

Hostilities mostly continued at the same levels as the previous report in areas of Damascus. Hostilities continue in Darayya but decreased in Moadhamiyeh and Khan Eshieh. Sporadic clashes and shelling continued in Jobar and Douma and in areas surrounding Qabr Essit and Sbeineh. Yarmouk was relatively calm until 28 February when sporadic clashes were again reported in the camp, halting food parcel distributions. An unconfirmed 14 PR were reportedly killed as a result: 8 in Yarmouk and 6 in Mzerieb, an increase from the previous report.

YARMOUK AND SBEINEH CAMPS All access points remained sealed. Malnutrition is wide-spread, which along with lack of health care, is contributing to a rising number of deaths.
All area offices and Syria Field Office in Damascus operational all week with most staff attending.